California Attorney General Rob Bonta, along with a coalition of 20 attorneys general, has filed an amicus brief in the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals. This action supports Michigan in the case of Catholic Charities v. Whitmer, which challenges Michigan’s ban on conversion therapy for minors by licensed healthcare providers.
Conversion therapy aims to change a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity and is widely regarded as harmful and ineffective. The brief emphasizes that such practices fall below mental health care standards and pose serious risks to minors, including increased chances of suicide and depression.
“California is proud to support the State of Michigan in protecting our youth from scientifically discredited practices that put their health, safety, and well-being at risk,” said Attorney General Bonta. “No child should ever be subjected to harmful, non-evidence-based practices for simply being who they are.”
Michigan’s ban on conversion therapy for minors was enacted in February 2024. It applies to mental health professionals such as physicians, psychologists, and counselors. The medical consensus deems conversion therapy inconsistent with standard care due to its ineffectiveness and potential harm.
The coalition argues that the First Amendment does not protect dangerous mental health practices from regulation nor allows licensed providers to operate below accepted standards. They assert that bans align with states’ history of regulating professional standards of care.
Attorney General Bonta joins attorneys general from Washington, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont and Wisconsin in this filing.
A copy of the amicus brief is available online.
